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Perfect Wines For The Summer
Summertime, with it's sweltering heat and heavy air, does something to a winedrinker's palate. We no longer crave a tannic rich Cabernet, for example.
They tend to make us warm. During the hot months, wine drinkers tend to crave
wines high in acidity. These livlier wines tend to be more cleansing and
refreshing. So, put away your Merlots and Cabernets for the Summer, and join
us for a tour of some delightful summer substitutes.
No question about it, we Americans love our Champagne! We drank about 35
million gallons of it in 2006. This figure represents about a 20% increase
from 2001. We would probably drink alot more of it, but it's price has risen
right along with it's popularity. An excellent, economical substitute is a
proseco from the Veneto region of Italy. Proseco comes extra dry, or brut,
which is drier still. Heavy, creamy dishes such as fettucine Alfredo,
complement the lively, dry quality of proseco. Proseco tends to cut through
the oiliness and richness of Salmon or even an avacado. Proseco leaves us
cleansed and refreshed, and eager for the next bite!
Though sometimes a little too sweet, Spanish Cavas are a great, bubbly
alternative to champagne. Extremely affordable, most cavas are under 20
dollars. Most Cavas are made west of Barcelona, in northeastern Spain. Cavas
are generally sparkling wines, however once in awhile youll run across a rose.
With aromas ranging from apple to lemon, Cavas are one of the main reasons
that Spain is rapidly ascending in prominence in the world of wines.
Although only slightly effervescent, Portugal's Vinho verde still qualifies
as a choice alternative to Champagne and an excellent summer wine. Featuring
a delicate lightness and a lower alchohol content, Vinho Verde is perfect for
hot, summer days when the tendancy is to consume your wine a little more
quickly. Perfect for many types of foods, Vinho Verde is usually quite fruity,
with citrus being the most common. Generally a young wine, Vinho Verde has
earned the nickname "green" wine.
Beacause it lacks the harsh tannins of a Cabernet, the full bodied spirit of
a Grenache is a good summer choice. Although most associate a Grenache from
France or Australia, Grenache is grown in abundance in the Priorat region of
Spain. Grenache typically conveys accents of dark fruits such as black plums
or rasberries. Californis, too has it's share of Grenache. Interesting enough,
Grenache complements a good old fashioned burger as well as anything else!
In finishing our round-up of great summer wines, we still have a few more.
that deserve mention. Sauvignon blanc, particularly from New Zealand, is a
great summer choice. It features just the right amount of acidity combined
with the goodness of gooseberry and grapefruit. The ever popular pinot grigio,
especially from Italy is clean and wonderfully refreshing! A little less
well known is a Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Gruners are wonderfully crisp
and thirst quenching. They are bone dry and are frequently laced with green
apple.
Needless to say, we have left out somebody's favorite summer wine. For that
we are sorry. Hopefully we have included some wines that will make this
summer perfect for discovering new favorites.
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